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The School Library Service | Schools and the public library | The curriculum | Reading with young children | Bookstart

The School Library Service

The School Library Service provides a service to schools and teachers, both by lending books, and by providing professional advice. Each school that buys into the service can borrow a large number of books on long-term loan, and teachers can additionally borrow termly "project collections" of books specifically targeted to the subjects they are teaching. The School Library Service mobile library visits each school once a term, and teachers are also able to visit the SLS base at Thompson House to make their own selection. We are also able to purchase new books for schools at a considerable discount, which schools can use build up their own libraries.

In addition, many schools use the SLS for advice on how to develop libraries within the school, as well as for story-telling and Book Weeks.

The School Library Service will have its own website shortly.

Schools and the public library

• School visits: Every primary school on the island is invited to bring their year four classes to their nearest library, for a programme of "user education." The programme uses games and interactivity to introduce children both to the idea that libraries and reading are fun, but also to methods of finding books on the shelves.

  Of course, we are also happy to see other years in the library, from reception classes coming in for a story, to Middle School and beyond. We are also happy to bring the sessions to your school, if you have transport problems and find it hard to get to the library.

  To arrange a visit, email us, or phone us on 525731

• Projects: When children are doing a project at school, they often go to the public library and try to find books on that subject. Needless to say, when thirty children all come to the same library asking for the same subject, it can be hard to satisfy everyone.

  Our aim is always to provide the best service that we can to the people who use our libraries, and will always do everything we can to help children find the information they need, even if all the books are out. However, it always helps us immensely if we have advance warning of what projects to expect. This allows us to put books on short-term loan, if necessary, or even to make them reference-only for a short time, allowing the resources to be shared as fairly as possible.

• Teachers' borrowing: As members of the public, teachers are, of course, allowed to use the public libraries as well, to borrow children's books to use in class. However, with loan periods of three weeks at a time, and fines, it is usually much safer to borrow books for the whole term from the SLS - and with no fines!

The curriculum

If you are a teacher and want information on the QCA schemes of work, and how to resource them, Edunet is the place to go. In the section called "Curriculum", there are outlines of all the units, along with helpful websites that relate to that subject, and suggested books, that can be ordered through the School Library Service.

The Schemes themselves can be downloaded from the DFEE Standards Site.

Parents might also find the above sites useful if they want more information on what their child is studying at school, and the thinking behind it.

Reading with young children

"But my child's too young for books"

A child is never too young! Long before children can read, they are learning about the world they live in. Here are some ways you can help introduce very young children to the idea that books can be fun.

• Reading is for sharing: Children love it when you make time to read with them. You sit close, both looking at the same book, and you are giving them your whole attention. Even if you are not confident about your own reading skills, children love to hear their parents read to them. The fact that it is you reading, just for them, makes it very special.
• Reading is for grown-ups, too: Children learn from example, so if children grow up seeing you reading, and obviously enjoying yourself, then they will come to think that reading is a fun way to pass the time.
• Reading is everywhere: Reading isn't just about books. You can point out notices in the street, the labels on their favourite foods, and so on. Reading isn't just something they do at school, but is an essential life skill
• Start at the very beginning...: To an adult, it's obvious that we turn pages from left to right, that the black marks on a page can be decoded to make words, and that words can tell wonderful stories. Children, though, have to learn all these things before they can learn to read - and it's never too early to start.

Helping the beginner reader

• Talk to the school: If you want to start your child reading before they start school, it's probably advisable to talk to the school first. There are a lot of different reading schemes and different ideas on how to learn reading, so it is advisable to follow the same approach as the school
• Don't stop reading aloud: When children start to read at school, they will probably be given "reading books" to bring home. By necessity, these are rather limited in the words they can use, and quite a lot of children suddenly "go off books" at this point. It is important, therefore, to keep the interest level up by continuing to read aloud to children.
• Reading is about understanding: Reading is as much about comprehension as it is about simply sounding out the letters to make a word. Encourage comprehension by talking about the story the child has just read. You can relate it to things in their own life, and really make it come alive for them.
• Reading isn't just books: Reading is not just about school "reading books." Encourage children to read whatever interests them. Non-fiction books about dinosaurs and tractors are still reading. Books that are "too babyish" or your child has read before are still reading. If your child enjoys it, half the battle is won. If they're told that they can't read what they want because it's "not a reading book" or "too easy" they'll come to think reading is a chore.

How the library can help

• The very beginning: All libraries have a collection of board books for babies. These have been designed to introduce babies to books, and have sturdy pages. We don't charge for board books damaged by babies, so don't be scared to borrow them
• Pre-reading: The picture storybooks, kept in large wooden "kinderboxes", are meant for adults to read aloud to children. Use them to introduce children to the idea that, within a book, they can find excitement and laughter and memorable characters. Even if they can't read a single word, they are finding out that books are fun. Even after they can read, children love to have these books read aloud to them.
• Early readers: The public libraries do not stock School Reading Schemes, because there are just so many of them, and children all have access to these at school. Here are some examples of other books that can help beginner readers:
  • Dick Bruna books
  • Dr Seuss books
  • Red Nose Readers
• Six months on...: While emerging readers still need stories read to them, here are some series designed for children who have just learnt to read by themselves.
  • Happy Families series, by Allan Ahlberg
  • Frog and Toad books, by Arnold Lobel
  • Fox books, by Edward Marshall
  • "I can read" series
  • "Share a story" series

Bookstart

The Isle of Wight is part of the national Bookstart scheme, by which every child is given a free board book when they are nine months old. They also get an invitation to join the library. When they join, they get another free book.

Many parents think that babies are too young to enjoy books, but studies have shown precisely the opposite. Babies who are encouraged to enjoy books from an early age have been shown to be significantly ahead in both literacy and numeracy when they start school. Even though they can't understand stories, they can enjoy looking at the pictures, they learn how to turn pages, and find out that books can be colourful and fun.

Of course, babies tend to damage things, and books are no exception. But we don't charge for damaged board books. We would far rather see the books have a short and happy life, than sit on the library shelves because parents are afraid to borrow them.

There is no age limit on a child joining the library. You can join your baby as soon as they're born, if you want to, and don't need to wait until you receive your Bookstart invitation. You will still get your free book.

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